Foldable wrench set



Sept. 24, 1957 Filed June 1, 1956 FOLDABLE WRENCH SET 2 Sheets-Sheet l ml 1/ 0 r I i FIG. 3. w l

/6 26 b g; I /z 20 I g '20 22 2e /4 /6 23 v '/6 F/G. 4 /8 INVENTOR. 1H/LTO/V .4. 2000, se.

78 ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 24, 1957 H. A. RUDD,.SR 1 2,807,179

. FOLDABLE WRENCH SET Filed June 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl G. 7

54 a INVENTOR. v

62 44 an. ran 4. 2000, 50. BY

I wm mmm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent FOLDABLE. WRENCH SET Hilton A. Rudd, Sr.,Woodbridge, Va.

Application June 1, 1956, Serial No. 588,677

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-7 1) Thisinvention relates generally to- Wrenches, andis more particularly concerned with sets of wrenches in which eachindividual wrench maybe employed as desired yet remaining a part of theset.

A primary object of the invention isto provide a novel improved foldablewrench set in whichpairs of wrench members are disposedinoppositelyextending relationship from a. support hub, the wrench set including aplurality of support. hubs pivotally mounted in relatively pivotalrelationship von a common pivot shaft wherein when the wrench set is.unfolded wrench members are disposed in substantially right angularrelation affording handle means for rotating the wrench member to beused, andwhen the wrench set is folded the wrench-members are disposedin substantially longitudinal alignment taking up a minimum amount. ofspace in a tool chest, for example.

Afurther object of the inventionin conformance with that set forth is toprovide a novel wrench setof the character involved wherein the wrenchmembershave different polygonal cross sections commonly known as Allenwrenches for matching sockets formed in the heads of screws or the likewhich have a similar polygonal recess in the heads thereof.

A. further object of inventionin-conformance with that set forth istoprovide a novelfoldable wrench set of the character set forth which isreadily and economically manufactured, easily used, and highlysatisfactory and practical for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the novel foldablewrench set, showing the wrench members in their unfolded position;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the novel wrench set in its unfoldedposition;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the novel foldable wrench set in itsfolded position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 44of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the novel foldablewrench set, showing the wrench set in its folded position, and showingby means of phantom lines the disposition of the wrench members when thewrench set is unfolded;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the wrench set of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 7-7of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is an end elevational view looking substantially from line 88of Figure 5, showing the angular relationship of the wrench members onone hub member relative to the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft uponwhich the hub members are mounted.

Referring to the drawings in detail, considering Figures l to 4, thenovel wrench set isindicated generally at 10 and includes a pair ofsupport hub members 12 and 14, which may be circular if desired, saidhub-members having overlyingtransversebore portions receivingtherethrough a pivot shaft 16. affording relative rotation be-- tweenthe support hub members.

The support hub 12 hasextending laterally from 0pposite sides thereof inoffset relationshiprelative to the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft.16 elongatedwrench members 18 and 20, inner end portions 22 and 24,respectively, being received in suitable bore portions extending intothe opposite sides of the support hub member. The wrench members 18 and20.,have a polygonal cross section, hexagonal if preferred. todefinedifferent sizes of Allen wrenches,

The support hub member 14 has extending from opposite sides thereof insuitably conformed bore-portions-ends of elongated wrench members 26 and28, the. longitudinal axisv of which being in. substantial. alignment.with the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft 16. The wrench members 26and28 also have a polygonal crosssection, each of which, being of adifferent size, and also being of a different size relative to thewrench members 18 and 20.

The wrench members 18 and 20 incorporate an intermediate angular bendportion 30 and- 32, respectively, wherein the longitudinal axis of theterminal endportions of the wrenchmembers- 18and 20will be insubstantially planar alignment with the longitudinal axis of the wrenchmembers 26. and 28. Thus when the wrench members 18 and 28, and20 andare disposed in their foldedposition, the l-ongitudinalaxis of theisamewill be disposed in substantially. planar and parallel alignment withrespect toeach other. Thuswhenthe wrench members are folded into' theposition shown in Figure 3, the; wrench set will takeup a minimum amountof space inatoolkit, thus facilitating storage of the same. When thewrenchmembers are unfolded or disposed in: the position shown in Figure1, and it-isdesired-to use, for example, the wrench member 26, thewrench members 18 and 20 will serve as a handle thus affording means forreadily manipulating the wrench member 26.

Considering Figures 5 through 8, indicated generally at 40 is the novelwrench set which includes support hub members 42 and 44, similar tothose previously described, secured for relative rotation by means of atransverse pivot shaft 46. The support hub 42 has extending fromopposite sides thereof elongated wrench members 48 and 50, the innerends of which being received in a suitably conformed bore portion in thesupport hub member 42. The support hub member 44 has extending fromopposite sides thereof in suitably conformed recess portion theelongated wrench members 52 and 54.

The inner ends of all of the wrench members 48 through 52 extend insubstantially aligned relationship relative to the longitudinal axis ofthe pivot shaft 46, however, the wrench members 48 and 50 include anintermediate angular bend portion 56 and 58, respectively, disposing theterminal end portions of the wrench members 48 and 50, see Figure 8, inangular relationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the pivotshaft 46. Thus when the wrench set is folded in the position shown inFigures 5 and 8, the longitudinal axis of the terminal end portion ofthe wrench members 48 and 50 will be in substantial planar andlongitudinal alignment with the longitudinal axis of the wrench members52 and 54, respectively. It will be noted that the intermediate angularbend portions 56 and 58 of the wrench members 48 and 50, respectively,extend at opposite or opposed angles with respect to each other relativeto the longitudinal 'axis of the pivot shaft.

Each of the wrench members 48 through 54 have a polygonal cross section,hexagonal if preferred, and are of a different size thus providing thewrench set.

Thus in the embodiment shown in Figures 5 through 8 as in the embodimentof invention of Figures 1 through 4, there has been provided a novelfoldable wrench set which fully conforms with the objects of inventionheretofore set forth.

Various positional directional terms such as inner, outer, etc. utilizedherein have only a relative connotation to aid in describing the deviceand it is not intended to require any particular orientation withrespect to any external elements.

The foregoing is considered to be illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equvalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable wrench set comprising a pair of overlying hub members, apivot shaft extending transversely through the hub members permittingrelative rotation therebetween, pairs of elongated wrench membersextending in overlying relationship from opposite sides of said hubmembers, each of said wrench members having a different polygonal crosssection, the pairs of wrench members being disposable substantially atright angles in use, and foldable into substantial longitudinalalignment when in stored position, one pair of wrench members on one ofthe hub members including intermediate angular bend portions extendingtoward the other hub member disposing the longitudinal axes of theterminal end portions of said one pair of wrench members in substantialparallel alignment with the longitudinal axes of the other pair ofwrench members when in stored position.

2. A foldable wrench set comprising a pair of overlying hub members, apivot shaft extending transversely through the hub members permittingrelative rotation therebetween, pairs of elongated wrench membersextending in overlying relationship from opposite sides of said hubmembers, each of said wrench members having a different polygonal crosssection, the pairs of wrench members being disposable substantially atright angles in use, and foldable into substantial longitudinalalignment when in stored position, one pair of wrench members on one ofthe hub members including intermediate angular bend portions extendingtoward the other hub member disposing the longitudinal axes of theterminal end portions of said one pair of wrench members in substantialparallel alignment with the longitudinal axes of the other pair ofwrench members when in stored position, each of said one pair of wrenchmembers extending laterally from said one hub member in offsetrelationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft, theother pair of wrench members extending laterally from the other hubmember in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft.

3. A foldable wrench set comprising a pair of overlying hub members, apivot shaft extending transversely through the hub members permittingrelative rotation therebetween, pairs of elongated wrench membersextending in overlying relationship from opposite sides of said hubmembers, each of said wrench members having a different polygonal crosssection, the pairs of wrench members being disposable substantially atright angles in use, and foldable into substantial longitudinalalignment when in stored position, one pair of wrench members on one ofthe hub members including intermediate angular bend portions extendingtoward the other hub member disposing the longitudinal axes of theterminal end portions of said one pair of wrench members in substantialparallel alignment with the longitudinal axes of the other pair ofwrench members when in stored position, each of said one pair of wrenchmembers extending laterally from said one hub member in opposed angularrelationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft, theother pair of wrench members extending laterally from the other hubmember in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,519,559 Foster et al Aug. 22, 1950 2,633,768 Saxby Aug. 7, 19532,753,745 Dossie et a1. July 10, 1956

